A Project Management Overview of the Xp Software Development Methodology Essay Example

A Project Management Overview of the Xp Software Development Methodology Paper A Project Management Overview of XP Software Development Methodology This paper will discuss at a high-level how software development projects are run when implementing the extreme programming (XP) methodology, and explain during which step, XP covers the Project Management Institute’s (PMI) process groups, and management knowledge areas (MKA) [9]. After the XP process is discussed, XP’s unique way of developing code, its documentation management, and user-centric approach are explained. Since XP is written as being easy to implement, a short discussion of where the real work occurs is included, then guidance on what types projects it is best to implement XP. A brief overview of agile methodologies (AM), of which XP is but one, is included first. Agile Methodologies The characteristics of AM are that they the value â€Å"(a) individuals and interaction over processes and tools, (b) working software over comprehensive documentation, (c) customer collaboration over contract negotiation, and (d) responding to change over following a plan†[1]. AM concentrate on developing functionality over managing the development of functionality. The management of traditional software projects favors a well-planned approach – typically called the â€Å"waterfall approach† – documenting all project details before development starts. AM advocates creating a high level design of the whole system, then working on functionality in ascending order from highest to lowest in customer perceived business value. All AM assume requirements will change constantly so shorter development cycles are instituted to accommodate for the new or changed requirements. We will write a custom essay sample on A Project Management Overview of the Xp Software Development Methodology specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on A Project Management Overview of the Xp Software Development Methodology specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on A Project Management Overview of the Xp Software Development Methodology specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer AM also assume close contact with the business (for the purposes of this paper, business, client, user are used interchangeably) to answer any questions, and help resolve issues related to design, cost, and scheduling. XP Step One – The Planning Game The first step of an XP project encapsulates the PMI Initiating and Planning processes and is called the planning game. The planning game is a meeting in which desired functionality is discussed and analyzed via the creation of user stories [1]. Participants are users, project and development managers, architects, and developers. Other stakeholders, from the business or development side who can add value to the design of the functionality of the proposed system, are included when needed [3]. After business prioritizes the user stories, development estimates how many top priority user stories can be achieved within the first iteration/coding cycle (iteration velocity [5]). This process continues until all user stories are planned for in subsequent iterations, thus creating the project plan. At the beginning of each iteration, another planning game is instituted to get the detailed functionality for each user story to be implemented [5]. This set of user stories/requirements does not change during the iteration. PMI MKAs touched on during the planning games are scope, time, cost, quality, communication, and risk. Time, scope, and cost are documented as an outcome of deciding what user stories are to be solved and when, and how much it will cost for each story. Quality is documented as an outcome through the creation of acceptance tests with measure(s) of quality built in to each test. True XP projects have at least one business representative sitting with the development team which aids in addressing most communication issues. Risk management is thought through in the game and if needed, a spike solution is explored to determine how risky a certain technical aspect of the user story is [4]. A spike solution is a coding effort that is worked on just enough until a high-level design of the potential risk can be foreseen. XP Step Two – Code Iteration Each coding iteration is at most three weeks long. This is when the PMI Execution process occurs via iteration tracking and daily meetings. The daily meetings are called ‘stand-up meetings’ and everyone stands in a circle. They include people working directly on code and the project manager only. The set agenda for each meeting covers what was completed since the last meeting, what is scheduled for the day, and what problems are anticipated so others can offer guidance. Iteration tracking consists of teams reporting on which tasks leading up to a certain piece of functionality have been completed. The team decides to report task completion on a daily, twice a week, or weekly basis [7]. XP Steps Three and Four – Testing Closing Business and development will create acceptance tests for each user story which the programmers (or the test team) will test on a daily basis with each code drop [6]. This is when the PMI Monitoring and Controlling process occurs, and is carried out by passing unit and acceptance tests before a piece of functionality is considered complete. Unit tests are created and run by each developer making sure no errors will be found during the acceptance tests. Acceptance tests show the user that each story’s functionality was developed correctly and meets agreed upon measures of quality. During closing and for proper hand off to the maintenance team, user stories are put in proper order. Then the final high-level architecture and any special design, or code related considerations are documented. Remember, at the end of each iteration, all new features work. It is up to the user when to deploy them. The creation of and carrying out of the unit and acceptance tests is how XP addresses the PMI Quality MKA. The PMI Communication MKA is touched on during the first planning game, stand-up meetings and as a natural outcome of pair programming. Coding in XP – Pair Programming Pair programming is intended to improve communication throughout the development team, develop collective code ownership, and improve maintainability [3]. The main challenge to pair programming is convincing programmers who typically work alone, to work with others on a rotating basis [3]. Some like the social interaction and skill improvement, while others find it difficult to work with other peoples’ styles and see it as a threat to their positions [3]. Documentation in XP – Output of Each Step XP views documentation during the normal plan-driven method as duplicating effort. With the short development cycle in XP, documentation slows the process down. In XP, all decisions are documented as the output of each step in the process and in coordination with the user. For instance, design documentation is in the user stories, which are created with the user, and with all subsequent design decisions written as notes attached to the story [8]. If a user requires documentation produced as an output of the process, that request goes through the same process as a feature request, in a planning game with development estimating effort/cost, and the user deciding if it is truly worth the time and effort. The main point with AM in general and XP in particular, is that â€Å"face-to-face communication, interaction, and the sharing of ideas eliminates the need for documentation that is required for the traditional models† [1, 8]. XP Is User-Centric The user is in control of the process and cost when XP is used, as she decides what goes into each iteration, and how often she wants to see a working version [2]. At the end of an iteration, acceptance tests are run and the user decides if the functionality is acceptable or not. If not, then additional work is documented in the user story and it is scheduled for another iteration. It is added in the next iteration if the user decides it is absolutely mandatory. At the beginning of each iteration, the user is queried again to make sure the functionality about to be developed is what is indeed expected. Since the user is in control of what work is scheduled for each iteration, she is in control of the cost as well. XP – Is It Really That Easy? So, where is the ‘real’ work in XP? The following paragraph is this author’s opinion, based on experience. The planning games can be recipes for disaster. Requiring many people with such diverse backgrounds and experience to agree on many points in a short period of time could be daunting. Keeping people on track and not completely designing each piece of functionality is a hard thing to do as well. One of the key points in the games to remember is that developers need to know what are the requirements, i. e. what will make the user ‘happy’, for each piece of functionality, not jump ahead to what the final technical design will be. Since the user is integral to the creation of user stories and acceptance tests, it takes time, most likely the project manager’s or business analyst’s, to coach the user to proficiency in these matters. Convincing the user to accept shorter development cycles with less functionality can seem counter-intuitive to a person or business used to receiving the whole product delivered at once. For instance, the amount of time needed to develop all functionality on one web page, might require more than one iteration. The user is then tasked with deciding which functionality is enough for that web page to be useful. This is potentially disastrous as the user is actually being asked to OK less functionality – for the short-term – than desired. Daily stand-up meetings are held to figure out which problems need to be resolved quickly before they slow the process down. Running the daily stand-up meeting on a daily/weekly basis requires strong leadership, quality decision-making skills, and resolve. It also must be stated that a three week cycle is for coding only. Meaning planning games, user-run acceptance tests, and code migration to production server need to be incorporated in to the schedule. Documentation is handled in a completely different way than traditional methods with direct communication favored over change requests, addendums to design documentation, etc. It is easy for a programmer to forget to document a verbal decision with the user in code comments, or by updating a user story. XP – When to Use It? The final point to be made in this discussion is when to use the XP method. As with all AM, XP is best suited for projects with a tight schedule, uncertain requirements, a high degree of change, and significant risk [1]. Traditional plan driven projects are best suited for projects where â€Å"(a) Requirements are well understood, [and] (b) Frequent maintenance is expected in the future† [1]. Since XP is user-centric, it requires a technologically advanced customer and one comfortable with the software development lifecycle and processes. The customer should also be able to work effectively with the development team during planning games, as well as comfortable working with developers to resolve any questions or problems during each iteration. References: [1] V. Guntamukkala, J. H. Wen, M. J. Tarn (2006). An empirical study of selecting software development life cycle models. Human Systems Management 25, 265-278 [2] Cusumano, M. A. (2007). Technology Strategy and Management Extreme Programming Compared with Microsoft-Style Iterative Development. Communications of the ACM. 50 (10), 15. [3] Gittins R. , Bass J. , and Hope S. (2004). A Comparison of Software Development Process Experiences. LNCS 3092, pp. 231–236. [4] Wells D. (1999) Extreme Programming: Create A Spike Solution. http://www. extremeprogramming. org/rules/spike. html. Retrieved on Nov. 6, 2007. [5] Wake W. C. (2006). Agile Project Management, XP Style. http://xp123. com/xplor/xp0111a/index. shtml. Retrieved on Nov. 6, 2007. [6] Wake W. C. (1999). Intro. to Extreme Programming (XP). http://xp123. com/xplor/xp9912/index. shtml. Retrieved on Nov. 6, 2007. [7] VersionOne, Inc. ( ©2007) Iteration Tracking. http://www. versionone. com/Resources/IterationTracking. asp. Retrieved on Nov. 6, 2007 [8] Jefferies, R. (2001) Essential XP: Documentation http://www. xprogramming. com/xpmag/expDocumentationInXp. htm. Retrieved on Nov. 7, 2007 [9] Schwalbe, K. (2007). Information Technology Project Management. Boston:Thomson Course Technology.

Pierre Elliot Trudeau & His Mark on Canada essays

Pierre Elliot Trudeau & His Mark on Canada essays Canada has been shaped, from its beginning, by strong personalities and people of character. Pierre Elliot Trudeau was certainly one of these people. He was charismatic, flamboyant and he changed the face of politics. The influence of Trudeaus actions still remains eminent today. Trudeau was a man that you either loved or hated but it is impossible to deny he made many important contributions to the maturation of Canada. Pierre Elliot Trudeau was a man with a vision for his country. Trudeau applied his belief in freedoms and rights of the individual when he as justice minister proposed amendments to the Criminal Code that relaxed laws against divorce and abortion and decriminalized homosexuality. He will always be remembered for his famous quote Take this thing on homosexuality. I think the view we take here is that there's no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation . . . what's done in private between consenting adults doesn't concern the Criminal Code (Wood). Trudeaus policy to legalize abortion, homosexuality and to make divorce easier have had many repercussions on the Canada of today. In the midst of staying out of the bedrooms of the nation Canadians have been free to basically do anything where consenting adults can be found. Now this may seem like something glorious to some, statistics imply the opposite. The freedoms, in acted by Trudeau to promote his visions of the rights of the individual have caused a demoralizing of Canada. Over two million unborn babies have been snuffed out (killed because they are not legally people) (Jalslevac). The birth rate has shrunk to minimal size, and will continue to do so. The Divorce Act has also taken its toll on demoralizing Canada. Ten years after the Divorce Act of 1968, divorces multiplied by five times. In 1982-1985 when the government made amendments to the Divorce Act, that made it even easier to get a divorce (chang...

Corporate Governance and Ethical Responsibility Term Paper

Corporate Governance and Ethical Responsibility - Term Paper Example They can include the patients, surrounding community and government. However, this paper only focuses on three stakeholders: the employees, shareholders and the patients. As a hospital director, Dr. DoRight owes the stakeholders duty of loyalty in all aspects of the hospital performance. This duty requires that Dr. DoRight should act in the best interest of the shareholders and the hospital as an entity. The duty of loyalty also restricts Dr. DoRight to make him stay away from his personal interests and self dealing which can be at the expenses of the stakeholders. Dr. DoRight also owes the stakeholders duty of loyalty that dictates him not to enter into some acts that may help him receive personal benefits improperly and end up causing harm to the stakeholders and the hospital at large. To the patients, Dr. DoRight owes a duty of loyalty that requires him to act in good faith and care which any other prudent and ordinary person in the same position would accord in a similar situatio n in order to safeguard both the interest of the patients and the hospital (Martin, 2001). The duty of loyalty is also owed to the employees, especially in making decisions. Dr. DoRight is required to have his decisions made in good faith, being well informed and with honesty when dealing with the employees in order to safeguard their interests, as well as those of the hospital through the judgment rule of the business. In order to have this protection invoked, Dr. DoRight owes them the duty of information on all the reasonable material information available. The rule of business judgment may not protect Dr. DoRight when he has financial interests at a personal level in the transactions, fails to have information on the situations, is not independent, or fails to carryout the duty of loyalty and care. Dr. DoRight must make sure that he follows the standard of fairness to the hospital and all the stakeholders (Pickstock, 2007). Dr. DoRight as a director of the hospital has the duty t o facilitate the maximization of the shareholders’ wealth and enhance the interests of the shareholders. In summary, Dr. DoRight must ensure that maintains the rights of the shareholders and treats them equally, honor the interest of all other stakeholders like the patients, observes integrity and ethics in his duties, and remains transparent with all his actions. Question two Stakeholders have different interests in hospital. For instance, the shareholders who invested on the hospital are interested in the survival and profitability of the firm. They are classically concerned with the allocation of investment earnings and their residual earnings that is paid to the as dividends; the company management, including Dr. DoRight, is interested in the efficiency of the hospital in generating the profits. The general performance of the hospital is regarded as the effectiveness of management and can be observed by particular financial rations; the customers such as the patients are interested in the ability of the hospital to continue providing the health services to them; employees may be interested in high wages in order to keep their work running; suppliers on the other side want to see their products bought and paid for by the hospital and the lenders are interested in the liquidity position of the hospital to check if they will be paid in time; and the community in general is concerned with environmental

What stressors exist for incarcerated women Essay

What stressors exist for incarcerated women - Essay Example Religious groups have shown constant and persistent interest in working with the incarcerated people in jail to help bring about their rehabilitation. Evidently, this is evident as many terms that are currently associated with the prisons came about from the efforts made by the people of faith in the 18th century. These are terms like the reformatory, rehabilitation and the penitentiary. This was in an effort to ensure that the inmates fully reformed while serving their jail term (Lazzari, 2005). The faith-based organizations provide in-house ministries, mentorship of the inmates, bible studies and even preparing the inmates for their release. However, these faith-based organizations require volunteer ship and participation from the inmates. A study by Camp and Associates in 2006; however, revealed that females, blacks and Hispanics were less likely to volunteer in these organizations. Evidently, this is because of many challenges and stresses that these women undergo. Incarcerated women faced a lot of challenges and stresses during their imprisonment period. These challenges range from both physical and mental stresses. Evidently, women conditions and life at the prisons were characterized by unsafe environments, which ranged from lack of proper sanitation facilities. The prisons had inadequate or very few sewage and bathing facilities and systems (Cobbina, 2010). The incarceration period was also greatly marred with hard physical labor and in most cases; the women oversaw corporal punishment. In addition to this, there was no medical care for the offenders who posed a great risk and worried mostly to the pregnant offenders. The women with mental health problems were held in a solitary confinement something that posed a great stress to the offenders (Lazzari, 2005). To help the women deal with these problems, the authors stress on the need of the use of faith based organizations. The faith-based programs are seen to

Ancient Egypt Essay Example for Free

Ancient Egypt Essay Ancient Egypt was a civilization that emerged in eastern North Africa, and was centered along the banks of the lower part of the Nile River. Beginning around 3100 B. C. , this dynamic civilization would exist for over 3,000 years, only ending with its fall to the Roman Empire. Yet, during its existence, ancient Egypt developed a rich history, as well as a rich culture that greatly influenced the rest of the ancient world and the modern world. Ancient Egyptian culture encompassed many things, but the most important was the spiritual aspect. Ancient Egyptians had no separate word to describe what modern society now calls religion, mainly because their spirituality was an integral part of their life. Therefore, it was believed that Egypt was part of a â€Å"universal cosmic scheme†, and on Earth, it was the responsibility of the pharaoh to maintain stability within that cosmic scheme (19). Another aspect of this cosmic scheme was the multitude of gods that ancient Egyptians worshipped. All the gods were associated with either heavenly bodies or natural forces. However, two groups of gods came to have particular importance. They were the sun gods and the land gods, and considering the fact that nature played such a vital role in the survival of ancient Egypt, it makes perfect sense that these groups would take precedence over the rest of the gods. The sun god commanded the greatest respect and devotion of all the gods because it was the sun that served as the source of life. He also had the ability to take on different forms and names. Thus, he was worshiped in human form as Atum, and in half man-half falcon form as Re (19). Land gods included Osiris, Isis, and Horus, all of whom represented some particular aspect of nature, as well as aspects of the afterlife. Such was the case with Osiris, who represented resurrection and judgment of the dead. The next main aspect of ancient Egyptian culture was its architecture. As proven from the ruins that exist today, ancient Egyptian rulers built large-scale monuments to demonstrate their power and strength, both militarily and politically. Yet, of all the architecture that remains from this civilization, it is the pyramids that still evoke awe in all. Built during the Old Kingdom period, the pyramids were often part of a large complex that was dedicated to the dead. The complex would include not only the pyramid for the burial of the pharaoh, but also smaller pyramids for his family, and rectangular structures called mastabas for his noble officials. Within these pyramids, everything that one needed for the afterlife was there. This was done because it was believed by ancient Egyptians that humans had two bodies: a physical one and a spiritual one, called the ka. The items placed in the pyramid with the physically dead pharaoh were meant to his ka to live on in the afterlife as it had in its earthly life (20-21). Naturally, pyramids cannot be talked about without referring to the process of mummification, which can be considered to be part of the spiritual aspect of ancient Egyptian life. A 70-day long process, mummification involved emptying the dead body of its internal organs, of which the lungs, liver, stomach, intestines, and heart were placed into special jars to be buried alongside the body. The body was then covered in salt, to draw out all the water from the body. Once this was done, the body was then filled with spices and wrapped in layers of linen that had been soaked with resin. The final step was the placing of a mask over the head of the mummy, and then its burial. Through this process, the pharaoh, his family, and his officials were all preserved, with the ultimate goal being they would reunite again in the afterworld (21). The final main aspect of ancient Egyptian culture was its art and writing. Egyptian art was largely functional, often being commissioned by kings and nobles for use in the temples and tombs of Egypt. With regard to the temples, wall paintings and statues of the gods and the pharaohs were meant for spiritual purposes only, in that they played integral roles in the performance of various rituals done by the temple priests. With regard to the tombs, wall paintings and statues were meant to aid the deceased along into the afterworld, serving as a type of guide for the person (21). Egyptian art was also extremely formulaic, meaning artists and sculptors had to follow a strict set of rules regarding proportions for the form and presentation of their works. As a result, Egyptian art had a distinctive appearance that would span the entire existence of ancient Egyptian civilization. One particular characteristic was the technique implemented by artists and sculptors alike, in which profile, semi-profile, and frontal views of the human body were combined to represent the whole image of the body accurately (21). Egyptian writing emerged during the first two dynasties, but did not have a name until given one by the Greeks, who called it hieroglyphics. Hieroglyphics, meaning ‘priest carvings’ or sacred writings, were signs that depicted objects. Eventually, they were simplified into two scripts to make them easier to write, but were never developed into an actual alphabet. Initially carved into stone tablets, but the more simplified versions were written on papyrus. As a result, most of the Egyptian literature that exists today is either on stone tablets or papyrus rolls (22) As previously stated, ancient Egyptian culture was quite unique and vibrant. It was also greatly influential, as various aspects of it were adopted by other civilizations. Ancient Egypt served as an early example of how great a culture and civilization could be, and those that followed after it would not have been as successful were it not for the existence of ancient Egypt. Source: Spielvogel, Jackson J. Western Civilization. Belmont: Thomson-Wadsworth, 2006.

Tritt’s View of Young Goodman Brown :: Young Goodman Brown YGB

Tritt’s View of â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† In the article, â€Å"‘Young Goodman Brown’ and the Psychology of Projection†, Michael Tritt critically analyzes Nathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† to construct the process of how Hawthorne regards Goodman Brown’s behavior. Tritt examines the phenomenon of projection in psychology and believes that â€Å"Brown’s compulsive condemnation of others, along with his consistent denial of his own culpability, illustrates a classically defined case of projection† (116). He defines projection as an unconscious process when a person projects their own traits or desires onto other people, thus representing a false perception on whom the projection is made. Tritt perceives Goodman Brown’s withdrawal is from the persuasion that he has not fallen in with his devilish community, thus Goodman Brown projects his guilt to them in an attempt to escape a guilty subconscious. While Goodman Brown is in the forest, he locates his anxieties upon the community that he lives in. The experience in the forest actually depicts Goodman Brown’s own evils. Tritt refers to Goodman Brown snatching away a child being catechized by Goody Cloyse: If Brown truly conceives of himself as fallen, why would he snatch the child from one fiend to yield yet another, namely himself? Brown must believe himself untainted, or at least less tainted than various members of his community. (115) Michael Tritt believes that Brown’s anxieties inevitably stick within his subconscious forever. The anxieties suggest a psychological design with aspects of misperception and false perception to reveal a projection process. Tritt asserts that Goodman Brown’s evil is located in others, and Brown believes himself to be without guilt although his desires are still in his subconscious. It is a â€Å"vice-like grip with which such process is paralyzing, indeed terrifying† (Tritt 116). Undoubtedly, Michael Tritt uses a psychological strategy to critically analyze â€Å"Young Goodman Brown†. He carefully constructs his criticism through quotes from other critics and the short story. Sigmund Freud is also quoted because he theorized the projection process.

Energy Drinks Essay

Introduction Sir Isaac Newton was right when he saidâ€Å"what goes up must come down† . This rings true when talking about energy drinks. These products promise to provide heightened awareness, more energy, more endurance some even reference to the consumer you will have wings. So when consuming these products what are you really drinking? Do they provide the energy boost they promise? Are they harmful? Should the FDA do more investigating into the safety of these so-called energy drinks? These are questions I had going into this as a consumer of energy drinks myself, I was interested in how harmful they are too the consumer. In this paper I hope to provide a better insight to a product that is popular and in demand; but little is known about. What Are You Drinking? Energy drinks contain most of the same major ingredients caffeine, taurine, glucronolactone, niacin and panax ginseng just to list a few. Let’s start with caffeine it is a central nervous system stimulant that has the effect of temporarily warding off drowsiness and restoring alertness. As of studies done by (Lovett, Richard) 90% of adults consume caffeine daily in different ways. Most of the energy from these drinks comes from the sugar and caffeine not the unnecessary extras (Suzanne Farrell MS, RD). Taurine another main ingredient is actually an amino acid that is found in the human body it is a natural substance that our bodily systems encounter every day. However in these energy drinks it is a synthetic element. Then there is Ginseng is known as an adaptogen, which means it increases resistance to physical, chemical, and biological stress and builds energy and general vitality. These are just a couple of the things in what seems to be in a lot of the energy drinks. The rest of the scientific sounding ingredients came up to be not relevant to the effects these drinks promise. |Beverage (250 ml) |Caffeine content | |Cocaine energy drink |280mg | |Full Throttle |144mg | |Monster |160mg | |Impulse |88 mg | |Red Bull |80 mg | |Naughty Boy |80mg | |’V’ |78 mg | |Coca-Cola |48. 75 mg | Do These Drinks Provide The Effects They Promise? Most drinks provide some combination of B vitamins (which help convert sugar to energy and help regulate red blood cells, which deliver oxygen), amino acids (e. g. , taurine), antioxidants(milk thisle, vitamin C), and stimulants, ranging from the reliable (caffeine, guarana) to the alleged (horny goat weed). Yes, they do. Smit and colleagues found that energy drinks, as compared to placebo, had energizing effects among 18 to 55 year old participants, with effects being strongest 30 to 60 minutes after consumption and sustained at least 90 minutes. Caffeine was found to be the primary constituent responsible for these effects. Although there is no human requirement for caffeine, even low doses of caffeine (12. 5 to 100 mg) improve cognitive performance and mood (Smit HJ). Because this is still such an understudied topic it is hard to say that these drinks provide the effect they promise. The fact is caffeine affects everyone different due to age, size, tolerance, consumption and lack of sleep all these things contribute to how these drinks will affect you. Are They Harmful? This question was the one I was most interested in there is so much controversy around this question. Many energy drinks have a very high percentage of carbohydrates that can make it more difficult for food and nutrients to be absorbed into the bloodstream from the intestines. In some cases, gastrointestinal problems and distress are a possibility. When an energy drink has a high sugar content, it can have a laxative effect, as well as causing a sudden â€Å"crash† when the sugar leaves the bloodstream and the energy high disappears. Researchers found that within four hours of drinking various energy drinks, the 15 participants’ blood pressure rates increased approximately 10 percent for the systolic rate, 8 percent for the diastolic rate and heart rates increased 11 percent (Wayne state university study). When given to test rats in an experimental laboratory, it was found that the taurine caused anxiety, irritability, high sensitivity to noise, and self-mutilations. However, this data does not mean that the same effects will occur in humans the differences between rats and people are obviously substantial. That to me seems sort of scary. The Australian Consumers’ Association advises that while energy drinks may be scientifically safe, young people especially need to be aware of their contents. Research shows that children and young people who consume energy drinks may suffer sleep problems, bed-wetting and anxiety. Children who consume two or more cans of energy drinks a day may become irritable and anxious. Women who are pregnant are advised to avoid energy drinks (especially during the first three months of pregnancy), as high amounts of caffeine can increase the risk of miscarriage, difficult birth and delivery of low-weight babies. (Australian Consumers Association) Drinking these drinks while consuming alcohol can also be very harmful there have been reports of young people dying, possibly as a result of mixing of alcohol and energy drinks. Also Since the absorption of nutrients is slower; there is a large chance that the fluid absorption rate of the body is also slower. Difficulty in natural re-hydration of the body during workouts can cause danger to the person’s health. Athletes, who lose great quantities of fluids during games and practices, should be aware of this circumstance for they are one of the target markets of energy drinks. Should The FDA Do More Investigating As To The Safety Of Energy Drinks? Regulation of foods and drugs in the United States falls under the guidance of the Food and Drug Administration under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA). Functional foods, like energy drinks, may be regulated as foods, dietary supplements, drugs, medical foods or food for special dietary use. Though energy drinks have many of the same qualities as soft drinks, which are regulated as foods, they are regulated differently because the functional beverage industry is part of the trend of â€Å"nutraceutical foods† that occupies the gray area between food and dietary supplements. Dietary supplements are generally characterized as foods, despite their drug-like properties and their lack of testing on the market. The U. S. Food and Drug Administration have not conducted any serious investigations into the safety of energy drinks. As dietary supplements, energy drinks are subject to much less stringent regulations than other foodstuffs. However certain nations limit the locations that can sell energy drinks. Other countries require warning labels on individual cans of energy drinks. Still other countries have issued national statements regarding their safety. Some countries, such as Canada, have not yet approved certain energy drinks for sale. So shouldn’t the FDA take a closer look as to how these drinks are labeled and marketed and shouldn’t there be more investigating as to its effects on their consumer. Conclusion As a consumer of at least two if not more monster energy drinks a day I found the information was good to know. I do think that the FDA needs to make it where they do inform the consumer of the risks on the label especially because these drinks are very popular in teens. After all that I found I find it interesting that the public is so misinformed about all the ingredients in these drinks because really the caffeine is what is giving them the boost not all the scientific sounding ingredients. I think that it is most important for consumers to know that when taking in such high levels of caffeine you will go up but you must come down. Bibliography Lovett, Richard (24 September 2005). â€Å"Coffee: The demon drink? † (Fee required). New Scientist (2518). http://www. newscientist. com/article. ns? id=mg18725181. 700. Retrieved 2009-08-03. Suzanne Farrell, MS, RD, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. Webmd. com Smit HJ, Rogers PJ: Effects of low doses of caffeine on cognitive performance, mood and thirst in low and higher caffeine consumers. Psychopharmacology 2000, 152:167-173. William J. McGuire, the Communication-Persuasion Model and Health-Risk Labeling, in Product Labeling and Health Risks Bichler A, Swenson A, Harris MA: A combination of caffeine and taurine has no effect on short term memory but induces changes in heart rate and mean arterial blood pressure. Amino Acids 2006 http://www. naturalhealthontheweb. com Australian Drug Foundation’s Druginfo Clearinghouse. http://www. redbull. com/faq/index. html. http://www. safefoodonline. com/news/n_190302. asp. Monster energy [http://www. monsterenergy. com/product/energy. php www. fda. gov wellnessandnutrition. com edrinks. net Smit HJ, Rogers PJ: Effects of low doses of caffeine on cognitive performance, mood and thirst in low and higher caffeine consumers. Psychopharmacology 2000, 152:167-173. http://www. naturalhealthontheweb. com Australian Drug Foundation’s Druginfo Clearinghouse. http://www. redbull. com/faq/index. html. http://www. safefoodonline. com/news/n_190302. asp Monster energy [http://www. monsterenergy. com/product/energy. php] Introduction Sir Isaac Newton was right when he saidâ€Å"what goes up must come down† . This rings true when talking about energy drinks. These products promise to provide heightened awareness, more energy, more endurance some even reference to the consumer you will have wings. So when consuming these products what are you really drinking? Do they provide the energy boost they promise? Are they harmful? Should the FDA do more investigating into the safety of these so-called energy drinks? These are questions I had going into this as a consumer of energy drinks myself, I was interested in how harmful they are too the consumer. In this paper I hope to provide a better insight to a product that is popular and in demand; but little is known about. What Are You Drinking? Energy drinks contain most of the same major ingredients caffeine, taurine, glucronolactone, niacin and panax ginseng just to list a few. Let’s start with caffeine it is a central nervous system stimulant that has the effect of temporarily warding off drowsiness and restoring alertness. As of studies done by (Lovett, Richard) 90% of adults consume caffeine daily in different ways. Most of the energy from these drinks comes from the sugar and caffeine not the unnecessary extras (Suzanne Farrell MS, RD). Taurine another main ingredient is actually an amino acid that is found in the human body it is a natural substance that our bodily systems encounter every day. However in these energy drinks it is a synthetic element. Then there is Ginseng is known as an adaptogen, which means it increases resistance to physical, chemical, and biological stress and builds energy and general vitality. These are just a couple of the things in what seems to be in a lot of the energy drinks. The rest of the scientific sounding ingredients came up to be not relevant to the effects these drinks promise. |Beverage (250 ml) |Caffeine content | |Cocaine energy drink |280mg | |Full Throttle |144mg | |Monster |160mg | |Impulse |88 mg | |Red Bull |80 mg | |Naughty Boy |80mg | |’V’ |78 mg | |Coca-Cola |48. 75 mg | Do These Drinks Provide The Effects They Promise? Most drinks provide some combination of B vitamins (which help convert sugar to energy and help regulate red blood cells, which deliver oxygen), amino acids (e. g. , taurine), antioxidants(milk thisle, vitamin C), and stimulants, ranging from the reliable (caffeine, guarana) to the alleged (horny goat weed). Yes, they do. Smit and colleagues found that energy drinks, as compared to placebo, had energizing effects among 18 to 55 year old participants, with effects being strongest 30 to 60 minutes after consumption and sustained at least 90 minutes. Caffeine was found to be the primary constituent responsible for these effects. Although there is no human requirement for caffeine, even low doses of caffeine (12. 5 to 100 mg) improve cognitive performance and mood (Smit HJ). Because this is still such an understudied topic it is hard to say that these drinks provide the effect they promise. The fact is caffeine affects everyone different due to age, size, tolerance, consumption and lack of sleep all these things contribute to how these drinks will affect you. Are They Harmful? This question was the one I was most interested in there is so much controversy around this question. Many energy drinks have a very high percentage of carbohydrates that can make it more difficult for food and nutrients to be absorbed into the bloodstream from the intestines. In some cases, gastrointestinal problems and distress are a possibility. When an energy drink has a high sugar content, it can have a laxative effect, as well as causing a sudden â€Å"crash† when the sugar leaves the bloodstream and the energy high disappears. Researchers found that within four hours of drinking various energy drinks, the 15 participants’ blood pressure rates increased approximately 10 percent for the systolic rate, 8 percent for the diastolic rate and heart rates increased 11 percent (Wayne state university study). When given to test rats in an experimental laboratory, it was found that the taurine caused anxiety, irritability, high sensitivity to noise, and self-mutilations. However, this data does not mean that the same effects will occur in humans the differences between rats and people are obviously substantial. That to me seems sort of scary. The Australian Consumers’ Association advises that while energy drinks may be scientifically safe, young people especially need to be aware of their contents. Research shows that children and young people who consume energy drinks may suffer sleep problems, bed-wetting and anxiety. Children who consume two or more cans of energy drinks a day may become irritable and anxious. Women who are pregnant are advised to avoid energy drinks (especially during the first three months of pregnancy), as high amounts of caffeine can increase the risk of miscarriage, difficult birth and delivery of low-weight babies. (Australian Consumers Association) Drinking these drinks while consuming alcohol can also be very harmful there have been reports of young people dying, possibly as a result of mixing of alcohol and energy drinks. Also Since the absorption of nutrients is slower; there is a large chance that the fluid absorption rate of the body is also slower. Difficulty in natural re-hydration of the body during workouts can cause danger to the person’s health. Athletes, who lose great quantities of fluids during games and practices, should be aware of this circumstance for they are one of the target markets of energy drinks. Should The FDA Do More Investigating As To The Safety Of Energy Drinks? Regulation of foods and drugs in the United States falls under the guidance of the Food and Drug Administration under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA). Functional foods, like energy drinks, may be regulated as foods, dietary supplements, drugs, medical foods or food for special dietary use. Though energy drinks have many of the same qualities as soft drinks, which are regulated as foods, they are regulated differently because the functional beverage industry is part of the trend of â€Å"nutraceutical foods† that occupies the gray area between food and dietary supplements. Dietary supplements are generally characterized as foods, despite their drug-like properties and their lack of testing on the market. The U. S. Food and Drug Administration have not conducted any serious investigations into the safety of energy drinks. As dietary supplements, energy drinks are subject to much less stringent regulations than other foodstuffs. However certain nations limit the locations that can sell energy drinks. Other countries require warning labels on individual cans of energy drinks. Still other countries have issued national statements regarding their safety. Some countries, such as Canada, have not yet approved certain energy drinks for sale. So shouldn’t the FDA take a closer look as to how these drinks are labeled and marketed and shouldn’t there be more investigating as to its effects on their consumer. Conclusion As a consumer of at least two if not more monster energy drinks a day I found the information was good to know. I do think that the FDA needs to make it where they do inform the consumer of the risks on the label especially because these drinks are very popular in teens. After all that I found I find it interesting that the public is so misinformed about all the ingredients in these drinks because really the caffeine is what is giving them the boost not all the scientific sounding ingredients. I think that it is most important for consumers to know that when taking in such high levels of caffeine you will go up but you must come down. Bibliography Lovett, Richard (24 September 2005). â€Å"Coffee: The demon drink? † (Fee required). New Scientist (2518). http://www. newscientist. com/article. ns? id=mg18725181. 700. Retrieved 2009-08-03. Suzanne Farrell, MS, RD, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. Webmd. com Smit HJ, Rogers PJ: Effects of low doses of caffeine on cognitive performance, mood and thirst in low and higher caffeine consumers. Psychopharmacology 2000, 152:167-173. William J. McGuire, the Communication-Persuasion Model and Health-Risk Labeling, in Product Labeling and Health Risks Bichler A, Swenson A, Harris MA: A combination of caffeine and taurine has no effect on short term memory but induces changes in heart rate and mean arterial blood pressure. Amino Acids 2006 http://www. naturalhealthontheweb. com Australian Drug Foundation’s Druginfo Clearinghouse. http://www. redbull. com/faq/index. html. http://www. safefoodonline. com/news/n_190302. asp Monster energy [http://www. monsterenergy. com/product/energy. php www. fda. gov wellnessandnutrition. com edrinks. net Smit HJ, Rogers PJ: Effects of low doses of caffeine on cognitive performance, mood and thirst in low and higher caffeine consumers. Psychopharmacology 2000, 152:167-173. http://www. naturalhealthontheweb. com Australian Drug Foundation’s Druginfo Clearinghouse. http://www. redbull. com/faq/index. html. http://www. safefoodonline. com/news/n_190302. asp Monster energy [http://www. monsterenergy. com/product/energy. php] www. fda. gov. . Energy drinks Essay Energy drinks are beverages that can be used to supplement energy and concentration. It contains several ingredients, some good others bad. They contain ingredients such as caffeine, guarana, taurine and many more. Usually they are beneficial, but when taken in large amounts; some ingredients can cause unwelcome side effects. Many people consume energy drinks for enjoyment and the extra kick of energy for the day, but they are not aware of the hidden ingredients that can cause illness. In my opinion I believe that energy drinks are dangerous because they can cause illness, children and teenagers will be affected by the drink and the horrible side effects. The packaging of energy drink might convince you that it is are fine to drink but most of us are unaware of the hidden dangers. Those dangers can put anyone at risk of illness. Energy drinks contain high amounts of sugar similar to soft drink but energy drinks also contain high amounts of caffeine and taurine. Taurine is an amino acid that your body naturally produces. It helps regulate heartbeat, muscle contractions, and energy levels. But when there is too much taurine in our bodies, it can make some body parts overactive, like platelets. Platelets are found in the blood stream and they are very important to the body. They help to clot blood when there is a cut. The sugar makes the platelets overactive which makes them stick together and cause blood clots. This increase risk of heart related disease. In the US a small was conducted, they found that there is a link between the consumption of energy drinks and heart disease or high blood pressure. The researchers found healthy adults who drank two cans of a popular energy drink a day had above normal blood pressure and heart rate. Not only does it affect us both physical and mentally, it can affect children and teens who consume energy drinks. Children and teenagers don’t know what they are consuming and the affect it has on the body. You may see children or teens consuming energy drinks at sporting events instead of sport drinks, to boost energy levels. We may think that energy drinks and sports drinks are the same, but they’re not. Sport drinks provide only carbohydrate and salts to replace those lost in sweat, whilst energy drinks give temporary boost of energy. This may not sound bad but it will affect them over the long term. Like a child suffering with diabetes should not continue drinking energy drinks because the sugars in them can cause an imbalance of insulin. Even the Daily Telegraph thinks that energy drinks are unsafe because it can link to severe illness. The Daily Telegraph has reported â€Å"Energy drinks could be dangerous for children and teenagers,† The newspaper said that the use of high-caffeine drinks has been linked to â€Å"seizures, mania, stroke and sudden death†. Energy drinks can effect children and teenagers and also give people terrible side effects. Some people are not aware that energy drinks can give awful side effects after consumption. There are many side effects that can occur after drinking like vomiting, nausea, and hallucinations. Many ingredients inside energy drinks cause some people allergy reactions. There are many effects that can make people gain weight like people who don’t exercise. The mayo clinic says â€Å"that sugar intake has a direct correlation with weight gain, especially for people who don’t exercise. † But it can get worse, if energy drinks are drank with alcohol, it can make you pass out or get seriously hurt. Energy can drinks can make people sick from the dreadful side effects. However energy drinks create enjoyment among people, it has good taste and contains some good vitamins and herbs like vitamin B, ginseng, ginkgo Biloba and Antioxidants which are good for the body. To finish like to say that we should reconsider drinking energy because they can cause illness, young people will be affected and they can give people terrible side effects.